(no subject)

One more day before the storm...

So when we went to the Kerry rally last Friday night, before the Real Show started, they were playing great tunes, including Jesus Jones' Right Here, Right Now, which was, for me, the song from the 1992 campaign. If you don't know the lyrics, ( here they are... )

I'd been thinking these past few days about putting together a mix on my iPod to listen to on the way to the poll where I'm poll lawyering tomorrow morning, and these are the songs I have on it, and why (note: if you want an mp3 of one of the ones I didn't download from iTunes, let me know - if you want to see the lyrics, if you reply before about four this afternoon, eastern time, I'll be able to paste them in as a reply):

No Surrender - Bruce Springsteen - because it's the song for the campaign
Beautiful Day - U2 - because I have a reason to be overoptimistic
Walk On - U2 - because this song is what reminds me of the sadness of 9/11, and the Bush administration and campaign's politicization of that attack is one of the major reasons why I despise said administration and campaign
Right Here, Right Now - Jesus Jones - see above
All I Want - Toad The Wet Sprocket - it is my "moment of zen" ("And it won’t matter now, Whatever happens will be, Though the air speaks of all we’ll never be, It won’t trouble me")
Let The River Run - Carley Simon - this was one of our wedding songs, and it always makes my heart stir. I listened to it on my way to my first day of work when I was at Stroock in NYC, which is down the street from the World Trade Center, and it speaks of New York to me.
Goodbye To You - Scandal
( lyrics: )

Minority - Green Day - because I don't want to be the minority, and I don't think that I have been in the last four years, and I think that people have startened to understand that now. ( lyrics )

Breakout - Swing Out Sister - because we have to. We just have to.
Won't Give In - Finn Brothers (Neil & Tim, for those who didn't know about the new iteration of the act)
The End of the Innocence - Don Henley - you can hear some of it, which I used to make a video about the first Gulf War back in 1991, here.
We Walk The Same Line - Everything But The Girl - because it begins, "If you lose your faith, babe, you can have mine..."
The Red Flag, Aztec Camera version - because I am not a socialist, nor will I ever be, but sometimes, you just have to look to movements of the past and respect their devotion, and channel it
Someday, I Suppose - Mighty Mighty Bosstones - because sometimes, you just need to get keyed up
God Give Me Strength - Elvis Costello - because I am just unable to continue listening to One Day More at this point
These Are Days - 10,000 Maniacs - again, this song was one of the ones I played constantly, and ( the lyrics are why... )

And last on my list is Good Riddance by Green Day - Hey, George? I hope you've had the time of your life. Your run is almost done.

Anyone have anything to add? Suggestions welcome.

Nonpartisan suggestion!

If you're going to the polls tomorrow... print out some fanfic and take it to read while in line!

ETA: ms_ntropy is looking for recs of fics to take to the polls!

More things to do to amuse those waiting in line to vote:

Gacked from Air America, via shelaghc's reply to my "print fanfic!" post below:

Please bring:
1. Umbrellas
2. Board Games,
MadLibs, Trivial Pursuit
3. Cookies, Candy, Sugar Products, Nuts
4.Musical Instruments
5. Digital Cameras (to record your vote or shenanigans)
6. Provide Babysitters for Voting Parents
7. Animal Sitting
8. Water Bottles
9. Radios, IPods
10. Extra Headphones
11. Bathrooms (at a nearby house or from an RV)
12. Take Your Kid With You to Encourage Voting (They can stand-in for the elderly)
13. Books, Magazines (it's a great time to join BookCrossing!
14. Bring Your Bills To Pay, Balance Your Checkbook
15. Deck of Cards
16. Coffee
17. Irish “Jig”
18. Folding Chairs
19. Tarp
20. Book/Record of Precincts in your County
21. Vote with an old friend to catch up
22. Bring someone elderly, take them to lunch
23. Make precinct runs, take people to their proper polling place
24. This phone number: 866-OUR-VOTE
25. Bring a cell phone charger
26. Do not wear any political t-shirts that endorse a candidate or party - you won't be able to wear it inside

And if you're too young to vote, or not a US citizen, or if your registration didn't make it in for some reason, then you can still go by a poll and bring any of the above. Check with your local polling station to see if they'll even let you come by and do nonpolitical miming, acoustic guitar playing or a cappella singing.

I think we can all agree that (a) punching is bad, and (b) announcing rules is important

MIAMI (AFP) - A sheriff's deputy tackled, punched and arrested a US journalist for taking pictures of people waiting in line to cast early ballots in West Palm Beach, local media reported.

A sheriff's spokesman said later the deputy was enforcing a new county rule prohibiting reporters from interviewing or photographing voters lined up outside the polls, the Palm Beach Post said. ( Too bad they hadn't disclosed the rule before the incident! Oops! )

Wibble

The guy behind me in line at the drugstore is talking to the bird on his shoulder.

I am somewhat afraid of birds being close to me.

Wibble.